3 Ways to Make Your Dry Wedding Fun
Often, and in recent times, people think that an occasion, especially a celebratory one, that doesn't have alcoholic content in sight, won't be fun. And quite frankly, most people give and have more fun with alcohol in their systems, but you can have as much fun with your dry wedding.
A dry wedding shouldn't be dry or dull, as the name suggests. It's a wedding without alcoholic drinks, which should in no way have a bleak outlook.
There are many reasons, personal and otherwise, that may be responsible for a couple's choice to have a dry wedding. However, many exciting ideas can make your guests forget there are no alcohols on your occasion. And here are some of these fun ideas!
● Try Mocktails
The drinks you serve at a dry wedding should be anything but boring. There are endless options to choose from, such as smoothies that are fruit-based and apple juice spiced up with cinnamon and honey. Lemonades are also famous mocktails for weddings.
● Work With Time
Having your reception at a time when people would prefer coffee instead of cocktails is a step in the right direction.
An early afternoon or morning reception will have your guests appreciating a coffee stand and exchanging pleasantries in a relaxing manner and wouldn't care that their drinks aren't spiked.
● Hire A Good DJ
A good DJ always saves the day! Asides from playing smooth songs and getting your guests to relax or dance at intervals, a good DJ can handle any position at your wedding.
And with great humor and conversations, your wedding will be far from boring.
● Employ Games and Fun Activities
Usually, emcees take on engaging guests at weddings through games or comedy. Be sure to discuss with your emcee what you want to engage your guests.
An eating race, photo booth, etc., can be great and fun ways to entertain your guests at your dry wedding.
If you're planning to have a dry wedding or any wedding of your choice, Orchard View Wedding and Event Center is the best place for you!
Not only do we offer you great views, but we also provide you with professional wedding coordinators who'll work with you until the day of your wedding!
Our views: the lake view, terrace, and grand view are nothing short of panoramic and befitting of the most special day in your life. Contact us today!
5 Unique Aisle Décor Ideas For Your Wedding
Your wedding aisle is the most crucial entrance on your wedding day. It is where your guests and everyone in attendance get to witness the beauty of your day.
The procession down the aisle is often the part of weddings that leave tears in the eyes of many, and so, there’s a need to make sure your aisle is as beautiful as it needs to be.
Of course, making your aisle beautiful doesn’t mean it must get overly busy with decorations. As with all else concerning your wedding, decorating your aisle will depend on your choice, taste, and style. To get you started, here are a few unique ideas to consider for decorating your wedding aisle!
● Go Lush
Lush greens for a wedding aisle always stay in style. In recent times, couples line their aisles with a simple mix of greenery and lanterns. This mixture spells simplicity and class. It is also great for weddings in the spring and summer.
● Aisle On A Pond
Create an aisle above a pond by having a firm plank across it. Then, you may throw in some decor at the sides of the plank-say sparse floral arrangements, pampas grass, or candles after every few rows.
● Use Cacti
Another exciting wedding trend decor is the use of cacti. Drop a few of these plants, often in big vases, scantily along your aisle. Of course, it won’t be an aisle if it’s filled with huge vases containing towering cacti. Your guests will disapprove, so be mindful of that.
● Play Around With Decor Elements
Placing long linen to cover your entire aisle and lining the sides with petals leaves you with a unique and beautiful walkway for your procession. Usually, people use either of the two; the aisle petals or the aisle runner. But a mixture of both add a touch of luxury to your decor and makes you even outstanding.
● Use A Rug
Lining the aisle with a rug not only makes for uniqueness but also adds a homely feel to your event. If your looking to go simple, then an aisle rug is a factor to consider.
A great wedding venue gives you enough room and an excellent canvass to be creative with any part of your wedding décor. So, if you’re looking to wed at a venue that will relay the perfection of your big day, reach out to us! We are Orchard View Wedding and Event Center!
We provide you with a location with picturesque views for your wedding. And we offer you professional wedding coordinators that will see that your wedding plans and activities on your wedding day run smoothly! Contact us today.
3 Ways to Choose Your Wedding Venue in 2021
Choosing a venue for your wedding entails more than just pointing out a venue. There are factors you’ll need to consider, such as the type of wedding you’re having, your theme, whether it’ll be outdoors or indoors. Figuring out these primary essential factors of your wedding will help you make a perfect venue choice!
Making plans for your wedding venue is one of the first things to do in your wedding planning process because it will affect the date, number of guests, etc. To get you going, here are a few important factors to consider when choosing a venue for your wedding!
Work with Your Budget
Knowing what your account can handle for a wedding venue is essential. It’s necessary that you sit with your partner, anybody who’s contributing to your wedding finances, as well as your wedding planner.
Wedding planners almost always know excellent venues that will match your budget. The rule of thumb is to divide your wedding budget by half and use one part for your wedding venue.
Figure Out the Number Of Guests
Again, there’s a need to sit with your partner and both families here. You’ll need to determine an estimate on the number of guests to expect for your wedding.
It won’t be pleasant to have your hopes up for a venue that will contain about 100 persons while your guest list is a little above 150. Knowing an estimate of the number of guests you’re expecting is one crucial step to choosing the right venue for your wedding.
Know the Essential Features You Need At Your Venue
Sit with your partner and figure out what features your venue must have. For instance, if you’re looking to use the outdoors, you should consider a venue that offers an outdoor option.
Also, if you need a lakeside view or a terrace view, your venue should offer you the opportunity to experience that too.
We’re excited to tell you that Orchard View Wedding and Event Center is the perfect venue for your ideal wedding!
We offer different exceptional venue services and provide you with professional wedding coordinators who will work with you from your first visit to your final goodbye.
We’re sure that you’ll be pleased with our wedding location. It gives excellent views such as a lakeside view, terrace view, and the grand view—each offering the perfect picturesque feel that will suit your big day! Contact us today.
3 Benefits of Having A Wedding Coordinator in 2021
Since most couples would instead use acquaintances, friends, and family members to plan their wedding, wedding coordinators are climbing relatively fast on the trend table. One reason is that the cost of hiring wedding planners is relatively high.
No one expects you to work on your big day. Conversely, even if you believe those friends you put in charge of various aspects of your wedding will do the needful, don’t deprive them of having fun on your big day.
They’ll still want to be a part of your celebrations instead of running around to get things done. Thus, hiring a wedding coordinator is ideal, and to further convince you on this, below are more reasons!
● For A Relaxed Mind On Your Wedding Day
Knowing that you’re not stressing friends and family by checking to see that every detail is under control is something to keep your mind at peace.
Your wedding vendors don’t have to come to you for inquiries and other essential questions because your wedding coordinator will handle them all.
● For A Smooth Wedding Morning
Most brides experience more anxiety than excitement on the mornings of their wedding days, mainly because they’re still planning on their big day.
A wedding coordinator helps avert this anxiety. Because you know there’s an able hand overseeing your wedding day timeline, you’ll sail through your morning and be in excellent spirit for your ceremony.
● For Enough Time For Fun
Once you’re not worrying about your timeline, wedding vendors, supplies, décors, guests’ transportation, you’ll have enough time to yourself for more fun and relaxing activities. You’ll have time for greeting your guests, eating, having fun discussions with friends and family, etc.
If you’re planning your wedding in Ontario, we’re confident our venue is the perfect place to realize your dream wedding!
We are Orchard View Wedding and Event Center. We offer excellent amenities and the best views that are perfect backdrops for your wedding, no matter your theme and style!
Also, we offer wedding coordinator services, having well-experienced and professional coordinators. We’re sure that you’ll have a wedding to remember with our impeccable services! Contact us now.
3 Fantastic Ideas For Your Lakeside Wedding
A fabulous idea for a wedding location is a lakeside. Not only does it provide you with a natural backdrop, but it creates a certain relaxed mood for your big day.
In recent times, couples are looking for unique ways to relay their tastes and styles at their weddings. Using a lakeside is a perfect venue to make your wedding stand out. And below are a few fantastic ideas to incorporate into your lakeside wedding.
● Take The Lake Into Your Shots
Of course, there’s no way you’ll miss out on capturing the wonderful backdrop a lake offers to your wedding!
There are unique and creative ways you can incorporate a lake into your wedding photos, such as sunset pictures along the shoreline or the dock. You may use a canoe or boat to take some wonderful wedding day pictures too.
You may also consider jumping into the water. Ensure your photographer is ready to capture each moment: from when you leave the boat to when you’re airborne (the best part!).
Tell the photographer to capture you when you’re in the shallow area and when you’re ankle-deep in the water. Another fun pose would be having your spouse hold you up as high as he can!
● Vows By The Shore
Couples exchanging their wedding vows by the shore seems to be popular in weddings that involve a lake view.
You can join the trend by standing ashore or pitching an awning close enough to the water that your pictures get to have water in the background.
● Sail Into The Ceremony
Make a statement entrance into your wedding ceremony by sailing in with a boat or a canoe. Nothing spells grand and unforgettable like sailing into your ceremony.
You may also consider filing a boat or canoe with ice for chilled drinks at your wedding. It’s a good concept and will incorporate the lake factor into your marriage.
Orchard View Wedding and Event Center is the ideal place for your wonderful Ontario wedding!
We offer various unique and stunning views for your big day and provide you with the kind of excellent services you would expect from professional wedding coordinators!
We will plan along with you until your big day’s over and everyone has had the time of their lives.
Orchard View Wedding and Event Center brings your dreams for your perfect wedding to life! Contact us now.
2 Reasons Why You Need A Wedding Planner for Your 2021 Wedding
It’s your wedding, and you want every part of it to stand out and impress you and your guests, too, right? If you’ve ever planned a wedding or watched someone close plan one, you’ll agree it’s not a one-person affair.
It entails multiple hands to navigate the various aspects to work in favor of the big day. Planning a wedding is too overwhelming not to involve a wedding planner. If you’re wondering why you should, then this is for you!
● They Help with Your Budget
It may sound like new information, but your wedding planner helps you maintain your budget for your wedding in extraordinary ways.
They know some vendors from experience, for starters, and will save you the stress and costs of meetings with vendors. And they’ll know the ones in your budget range and how to get discounts on their services. The fact that you can state your budget to them and go to sleep is a plus!
● They Help with Your Timeline
It’s probably the first time you’re coming across the word “timeline.” Your Wedding timeline is usually more than losing out on some items you want to appear on the program.
Even if you’re as detail-oriented, a wedding planner has more experience with timelines and has probably organized a wedding similar to yours.
So, while it may be a difficult task for you, and you risk omitting essential aspects that will add color to your day, it’ll be a walk in the park for a wedding planner. That way, everyone wins!
You are getting married, and we couldn’t be happier for you! We’re glad you found the one that’s right for you and that you’re starting a new family together.
Orchard View Wedding and Event Center would love nothing more than to be a part of your day by providing you the ideal venue for the celebration!
What we offer comes with spectacular and panoramic views for your perfect wedding. Our highly experienced event coordinators are always at your service!
They will guide and assist you in planning your day because our sole aim is to help bring your visions to life! Contact us now!
Top Wedding Trends of 2021
Let’s take a look at the most popular 2021 wedding trends, what we see happening more often and what new looks that will be coming out this year. We’ve put a couple ‘must haves’ together for you!
The Welcome Box
As soon as your guests arrive, wouldn’t it be nice to offer a personal touch just to show your loved ones that you care about them on your wedding day? A welcome kit filled with a wedding favor, personalized hand sanitizers, masks or even a program of your event. This allows your guests to unbox something as they arrive and being welcomed in a personalized way is such a nice touch.
Tents and Lighting
Outdoor weddings and lighting are becoming a big interest in 2021 and can bring a romantic and airy ambiance to your wedding day. After the sun goes down, you want to add lighting that will set the tone and mood for your evening. They have also become a trend as they provide your guests and vendors a safe, outdoor environment. Start thinking outside of the box as there are so many different ways you can add a touch of light outside at night! You can easily pull off a beautiful, outdoor, light filled wedding night here at Orchard View!
Colour Trends
Colour is the new white – or so they say. Lively colour palettes and prints are booming in the wedding industry this year taking us back to the 90’s. Couples are diving into fresh, floral-driven and unusual colour schemes and incorporating all sorts of colours into their décor, wedding accessories and foods. We can’t wait to see all of the bright colours come together this summer!
Champagne Toast
Speeches are a must at weddings, why not give your guests something fabulous to sip on and toast with during them! Celebration Champagne has become a big hit at weddings this year, and it is a nice way to thank your guests throughout your evening in a small way. If your budget can’t accommodate Champagne, speak to your venue about the sparkling wines they have to offer, they are usually less than half the cost, and often equally delicious!
Weekday Weddings
More couples are opting for a weekday wedding - and there’s a reason you should too…Even the most sought after, expensive venues have a weekday discount! So that venue of your dreams just may well be within your reach after all.
Don’t forget - with so many people working flex hours nowadays, you might be surprised at your guests availability on a Wednesday afternoon!
Furniture/Floor plans
With smaller guest counts for weddings these days, it leaves couples more room to splurge in cozy living room décor such as couches, fancy tables and plush pillows that help translate the beautiful outdoors. Creating comfortable chairs and lounge seating offers comfort and warmth and the right design can do that. Your guests will find themselves sitting for longer periods of time so choose the right comfort for them!
Mini Treats
Personalized plates or “Canape Palettes” have become increasingly popular and include anything from a charcuterie board for one, a single serving grazing board or even a to go box. Couples are finding safe ways to celebrate with their loved one’s while being creative and inventive with cocktail hour themes to be served individually to their guests. Get creative with food and beverage to add a little thrill and “wow” for your guests
Remember, these are just some of the ideas out there - your event specialist, venue, planner, friends and family all have tons of ideas too, but after all, it’s Your Wedding, Your Way! So keep calm enjoy the process, and do what feels right to you!
Until Next Week!
Let Me Entertain You!
Today’s blog post is all about keeping your guests entertained, and the party going all night (even with all these Covid-19 restrictions!)
With ever changing government guidelines, we know it’s not an easy time to be planning the most expensive party of your lives! We’ve reached out to our brides and grooms recently and the number one question (after, CAN WE EVEN HAVE OUR WEDDING?) is: what are some alternative entertainment ideas that we have seen that we can incorporate in our socially distanced wedding?
We’ve been thinking outside the box, and have some great ideas for you!
Live Entertainment
Think about having a band play during dinner, or even later on in the evening, consider it like a private mini concert for your nearest and dearest! Your guests will have a great time and not even leave their seats!
If a band isn’t your cup of tea, what about a dance troupe, or a night of comedy –we could all use some laughter right now!
Bride & Groom Trivia
After dinner, how about an ice breaker game – personalized Jeopardy! Such a fun and interactive way to get the conversation going between your guests.
Your guests will all be competing to prove who knows you best! Make it even more high stakes with a great prize to the winner.
Photo Scavenger Hunt
Place a disposable camera on each table and a list (every table is a different list). The rules of the game are simple, you have to take the photo from your table, and the first team (table) to complete the list of required snaps, is the winner! The list can include things like: a photo of the bride with cake in her mouth, a guest wearing blue, the mother of the bride smiling, someone with a baby…you get the idea! If your wedding is small, you can make the hunt more personal, have fun with it. Be respectful and not embarrassing to anyone, but it can be a great way to keep your guests entertained.
Retro Games
Set out some of your favorite games that you both love for your guests to jump into - Connect Four, Jenga, Guess Who…
Casino Party
Hire a mobile casino, have some poker or black jack tables set up with dealers, instead of favours, give your guests a stack of chips to play with and a commemorative chip that they can keep! This could be really fun, and still safely executed with proper social distancing and sanitizing of the tables.
Regardless of your entertainment choices, it is still important to remember the value of your DJ or EmCee. They are absolutely essential even if dancing is not going to be allowed, but they keep the party rolling, informing your guests of the fun to come, introducing your speeches, and getting the guests hyped up.
Happy planning, and remember, your guests are coming to see this beautiful moment in your lives, they just want to be part of it…so don’t stress too much about the small stuff!
Until next week!
5 Food Trends for 2021 Weddings
It’s Valentine’s week, and Love is certainly in the air, what better way to show your love than with food…that’s why this week we decided to share with you our favorite food trends for 2021 weddings! We dare you to get through this blog without drooling :)
HERITAGE COOKING
Perhaps our favourite trend this year is Heritage Cooking (yes we know we are big suckers for all things nostalgic)! But when you consider it, it makes complete sense…honouring the traditions and cooking of your different cultures, and evoking those preserved memories, it’s a pretty symbolic representation of what a marriage is all about. We love the idea of pulling a favourite dish from your heritage and presenting it to your guests. At Orchard View, we are constantly working with our couples to create the perfect menu that represents them. Some of our favorite ideas are things like serving Bannock instead of bread, or how about Tandoori Chicken Naan pizzas for cocktail hour. Have fun with this food trend, don’t overthink it, but certainly explore your options.
COMFORT FOOD
What’s better than a big bowl of creamy, piping hot Mac & Cheese? Um…nothing! But we can certainly think of many other comforting foods to warm your soul, and yes, they can be served at your wedding too! We get that you may not want to eat a big bowl of spaghetti and meatballs in your beautiful white wedding dress, but still, this is a trend that deserves further exploration. For cocktail receptions we’re thinking mini grilled cheese sandwiches with creamy tomato soup shooters, fried chicken bites on waffles or even a baked potato bar with all the accoutrements! YUM
BRUNCH
We absolutely LOVE this food trend. Well ok, we absolutely love them all, but brunch has become a big hit with groups of all ages. Whoever came up with this really deserves recognition (we looked it up for you, a Mimosa toast to Mr. Guy Beringer is in order). Such a fun, casual and relaxed meal - it might even cure the hangover blues from a fantastic party the night before. Just think, smoked salmon eggs benedict, or cheesecake stuffed French toast, candied bacon, and tater tot nachos? Add Bottomless Mimosa service or a Caesar Bar and your brunch is complete!
PLANT BASED and HEALTHIER MENUS
Health has become an especially important topic this year. Taking care of your body and being conscious of what you put into it. We have discovered that although many couples want to indulge on their wedding day, they still want to be relatively healthy. They want their guests to have options and feel as though they are stuffing their faces. Talk to your venue about unique items that you can offer your guests that leave them feeling refreshed. Just because you are being healthy, does not mean you need to suffer in the taste department! There are many exciting and unique substitutions for many of those unhealthy options. Love Fries? Try Avocado fries instead! Love a creamy butternut squash soup? Ask your venue to substitute the cream for coconut milk. Healthy can still be delicious.
LATE NIGHT STATIONS
Late night stations! We have discussed this before, but we really really love this! Personalized Late Night Stations are the way of the future. Ever thought of a Shawarma Station, Make your Own Pasta Station or a Taco Bar? Just when the party is kicking off and dinner is a distant memory, stave off tummy grumbles by offering customized Happy Meals with a mini boozy milkshake (super cute!). Once again, the only limitation is your imagination…so think big!
Do you like our picks for 2021 food trends, or did we forget something deliciously epic? Let us know in the comments.
until next week!
Your Wedding Planner’s Top 10
When we say “we’ve seen it all”…you have to believe us! We co-ordinate over 100 weddings every season, and there is not much that can still surprise us. We love all the great ideas and fun activities our creative brides come up with. There are some things that we would totally recreate at our own weddings, but there are also somethings that even though are traditional, we would skip completely!
We’ve put together this top ten list of things we would keep, change, or reconsider based on our experiences…
Skip the Wedding Favours
we can’t begin to tell you how many wedding favours we have pitched in the trash after the guests have gone home! Forgotten, discarded, or just unwanted, they are really a waste of money and time in many cased. If you really do want to offer your guests a wedding favour why not offer a donation to a charity near and dear to your hearts! Canada Helps is a great place to start https://www.canadahelps.org/en/donate/
Hire a Great DJ
WE CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH! A DJ can make or break a reception. They are responsible for much more than just playing music. They work with your venue to keep you on time from the reception, grand entrance, speeches, first dance and whatever else you have planned for your nearest and dearest! We’ve all been to (or co-ordinated) that wedding where the DJ just wasn’t in sync with the crowd and guests were sat around or left early. Take the time to speak with your DJ beforehand and be clear about your goal for the night – if you want to create a jazz lounge feeling, or you want to have the dance floor jumping – have a plan, and remember to let the DJ do their job! If you have a playlist, go over it in detail…you would hate to have your father daughter dance song mixed up with your first dance song!
Speaking of First Dances…
we love when couples go straight into their first dance as soon as they make their grand entrance. Your guests are already excited and all on eyes on you. Doing things in this sequence is really a great way to kick off the evening, capturing your guests attention before too much wine has been consumed and also kind of lets the rest of the evening just flow organically.
Spend Money on an Amazing Photographer and Videographer
your wedding is a day, but your photos will last a lifetime…you want them to represent you. There are some phenomenal photographers in the region, be sure to do the research and ask to see tons of samples of their work. Remember, this is a big decision, take the time, and don’t be pressured into signing an agreement until you are really sure. Your videographer is the same – remember you will want to watch that video with your kids and grandkids one day. This is one aspect of your special day you will not regret splurging on!
Late Night Snacks
this is another great area to splurge on – you do not want the last thing your guests eat to be forgettable! Make the late night treat memorable, and reflective of your personalities. If you are the Taco Tuesday kind of couple – get some braised brisket tacos with fresh masa tortillas, if you like burgers and fries – have personalized happy meals, your caterer or venue should be able to work with you to create a custom and signature dish to really go out with a bang!
Have a Small(er) Bridal Party
sure – photos with 12 people in matching dresses sounds great in theory… but that’s 12 egos, opinions and preferences to contend with…we’ve seen some bridal party drama, and trust us, you don’t need that on your wedding day (or even the months leading up to it!) Ask 2 people you know will have your backs and don’t worry about hurt feelings, people will get over it and this day is supposed to be about you anyway!
Splurge on a Dessert Bar
while we love a gorgeous (and tasty) wedding cake, our mouths water when we see a donut wall, or a cake pop stand, even a cheesecake bar – ask us about this, it’s as exciting as it sounds! It’s such a fun way to add some variety to your reception and create an interactive element. You can still do a wedding cake or get one with false tiers and just a small tier of cake for you and your partner to enjoy.
Hire a Planner!
Based on the title of this blog, this should seem obvious, but many people still try to do everything themselves. This is another area we would spend the money on. At Orchard View, our weddings come with a planner, so you never have to worry that you are going through it alone. We are here to lean on, to talk to and to take some of that burden from you!
Ensure a Staffed Bar
there is nothing worse than a long line at the bar, make sure your bar is well stocked, and staffed. Even if you are doing a cash bar, at least ensure there is an extra bartender. We usually recommend 1 bartender for every 50 guests. If you are having craft cocktails, you might want to hire an extra bartender on top of that, as they take more time to build.
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff!
things might not go exactly according to plan. Weddings can be unpredictable but remember, it’s your day, enjoy the moment and don’t let the small stuff weigh on you.
Let us know in the comments if you agree or have any other great ideas.
until next week!